


Of Polaroids and Safe Sex

by Juliaenerys



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Cake, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, I hope it's good, M/M, also, and a lil bit of angst so, em - Freeform, i suppose that's it, so this is a prequel to of cherry blossom and chinese food and like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 07:05:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2459276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juliaenerys/pseuds/Juliaenerys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Calum and Luke meet in high school, date, break up and meet again. And Luke has changed a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> prequel to this: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2397857  
> there are only two chapters and there is no smut in the first one so like yeah  
> enjoy!!

 

 

                The joy of teen years was still kissing their skin when Calum and Luke met at a party in their last year of high school. It was a shitty party, a huge shitty party. The type of shitty party that popular students throw for no particular reason, where one third of the people attending it are making out with someone they don’t really know, another third are losing their brains to dance, and the last third are throwing up all over the carpet. Alcohol was practically airborne and clouding everyone’s minds when there weren’t many people who were actually of age. But big parties, and shitty parties, often lead to interesting encounters, which happened that day to Calum and Luke.

                Calum had been told to come, by a friend who was friends with a friend of someone’s brother’s girlfriend, and that girlfriend’s friend knew the one who’d thrown the party. He didn’t even know half the people who were there. All he saw was that there were more glass bottle than plastic ones, that the girls’ skirts were really suspiciously short, the kind of _too short_ short, and that the music was threatening to literally destroy everyone’s ears. He had a couple of boys he knew more or less standing next to him, but he didn’t really listen to their conversation – which couldn’t, anyway, be heard over the heavy bass coming from the speakers. He had a glass in his hand, but hadn’t drunk at all. In fact, he planned to throw the alcohol into the sink as soon as he’d be able to.

                Calum wasn’t having the time of his life right then. He was rather annoyed. But he’d come to find someone to have fun with – which was a bit complicated, though. He hadn’t managed to for the moment, but he could still hope. When he glanced at each one of the guys near him and realized he didn’t know all their names, he mumbled something random and turned around then walked away.

                That house was a big house, naturally, a house that could accommodate more than eighty people. It had a wide garden, and a lot of rooms. Calum’s friend had told him there were twelve bedrooms but it was a hardly credible fact. Calum opened a glass door and stepped out into the garden, into the dark and fresh September night. After closing the door, he could at least feel a bit calmer. Only five people were there, much quieter than the ones inside. In the black sky, black as coal, stars were shining. Calum walked a little around and threw the content of his glass into a flower pot, hoping for some reason that the plant would die. Then he went to the wooden terrace, and sat down.

                No one was there, and if it hadn’t been for three soft lamps that looked like tiny moons, everything would’ve been pitch dark. Calum shivered, but he was happier there by himself than inside in the crowded saloon. The music could still be heard from there, but only faintly; the melodies floated through the fresh air while the bass pulsed in softly in every solid item. Calum sat there for a while, starting to think that he would probably be leaving soon. However, just when he was about to get up, he heard noise coming from his left. Looking over his shoulder, Calum spotted someone walking towards the terrace.

                He watched the dark form of a person coming to him, and was surprised to see that said person stopped just by his side. “May I sit down?” a voice asked. Calum nodded, a little puzzled. When the stranger sat down, he looked at him. He was a boy, probably the same age as Calum, with golden hair that stood out in the darkness, and a playful smile crossing his little lips. He had two gummy bears in his hand. “These were the last ones. Do you want one?” he asked Calum. “They’re not from the bowl into which someone poured pepper.” He smiled more. “Strawberry or apple?”

                Calum thanked him politely as he took the apple-flavoured sweet and ate it. When he realized they weren’t talking anymore and he didn’t even know the boy’s name, he cleared his throat. “So…uh, what’s your name?” he began. “I’m Calum,” he quickly added.

                “Luke,” the boy replied softly. “Were you bored too inside?”

                “Yeah,” Calum answered with a grin. “The music’s too loud.”

                “It is,” Luke giggled.

                That was precisely when Calum noticed he was handsome. “Do you know anyone here?” Luke went on. “I don’t,” he chuckled in Calum’s ear, as if he were confessing something funny. “I mean, not really. A friend told me there was that party but he left with his girlfriend a while ago and went home…to… Uh, you know.” He blushed a little and Calum felt a sudden rush of affection towards him. When Luke had leaned in, he’d been able to notice he hadn’t drunk anything either, because the unpleasant smell of alcohol really couldn’t be found on his body.

                Luke was wringing his hands between his thighs. Calum looked down. He had white hands, very white. “I don’t know a lot of people either,” he said, and Luke grinned back at him. “Well, I know you now, though.”

                “You do,” Luke laughed. “Are you in S. school too?”

                “Yeah, I am,” Calum answered. “Are you, too?” When Luke nodded joyfully, Calum suddenly felt really happy. He waited for Luke to say something, but nothing came. He turned towards the garden again and gazed at it absent-mindedly. Luke was tapping a light rhythm on the wooden terrace with his fingertips. Then he stopped. Silence fell.

                Calum knew Luke couldn’t have sat there next to him for no reason. There was plenty of space in this garden, he could have gone somewhere else if he’d wanted to. But he hadn’t. Thus, either he was really lonely, because teenagers usually don’t easily approach someone sitting alone, or he was interested in Calum. Calum wasn’t self-centered, just realistic. The fact was that he himself had known he was gay for two years. However, there weren’t many gay couples in high school. Even his friends didn’t truly know about his sexuality.

                But there was one thing Calum knew: if he ever saw an opportunity, he would seize it. In other words, if another boy happened to flirt with him, he wouldn’t say _no_. And on top of that, Luke seemed nice. Calum didn’t want to have false hopes, but the situation looked rather promising so far. And it got even better when Luke spoke again.

                “So, are you, uh…dating anyone?”

                Calum tried to hold back a smile and he shook his head. “No. I’m not.”

                “I’m not dating anyone either,” Luke said, a little too joyfully for it to be casual.

                Calum looked at him. He only hesitated for a few seconds.

                “And, would you…like…” Luke began.

                Calum kissed him.

                Luke started, but he quickly calmed down. Actually, it was one of Calum’s first kisses ever. He had kissed a girl or two a couple of times, but it had been tasteless. And since finding gay boys wasn’t obvious in high school, he had never repeated the experience with a person of the sex he liked. He was very clumsy and Luke too. Their lips were trembling like leaves in the wind. He couldn’t seem to find the right angle. Luke’s fingers were ghosting over his shoulders but without really grabbing them. Once or twice, he let out little moans of surprise when Calum moved his lips against his.

                It lasted about a minute, and when they parted, Calum found out he had a little bit of saliva under his lip and on his chin, which he wiped off, hoping Luke wouldn’t see it. The boy cleared his throat awkwardly and fidgeted. “Uh…” Calum said a bit stupidly. They shared a glance. Quickly, falteringly, their mouths searched for each other again and succeeded seconds later. Calum and Luke kissed for the second time, just as badly, but it was perfect. That time, Luke’s hands held onto Calum’s shoulders. Calum somehow managed to cup the left side of his face with his hand. Maybe it was just him, but it seemed to be getting better.

                Luke’s cheeks were really red when it ended, and their colour was visible even in the dark garden. Calum saw him comb his hair back into place nervously and he swallowed. “Y – yeah, I would. I mean, I’d date you. Unless…unless you weren’t asking about that,” he said weirdly.

                “I was,” Luke replied timidly. “Thank you.”

                Calum licked his lips. Luke’s had a sweet taste, a sweet taste he couldn’t quite identify. But it was great. His thoughts were a little confuse. It seemed so easy to have got to know him and got asked out like that. So quickly. Calum looked at the boy. The light coming from the moon-like lamps was falling on his face and neck and made his skin glow softly. He _was_ pretty, and Calum was happy about that. Both of them had been silent for a while then, and he opened his mouth to speak.

                “Want to go around?” he asked.

                “Do you want to leave?” Luke asked at the exact same time. “Oh.” He smiled shyly. “Actually, I do,” he said.

                “I do, too,” Calum chuckled. “Let’s go?” They got up and left the garden, entered the house again, but walking out of it seconds later, into the street. It wasn’t really late, so Calum decided to offer Luke to go home with him to have a drink. “Do you want to come to my place? I mean, to talk and stuff,” he said. Luke nodded with a smile. Since Calum lived a few streets away from where the party was, they soon got there. Although midnight hadn’t struck that long before, all the lights were off in Calum’s house. He opened the door quietly, and they stepped in.

                Luke left about an hour later, after they chatted casually and kissed a few more times. Calum didn’t want to be making a mistake by thinking that, but butterflies were spreading their wings in his stomach. Luke was even more handsome in full lights. He was kind, too. They exchanged their phone numbers, and Calum waved as the boy walked out. When he climbed the stairs joyfully to go to bed, he met his mother and started, taken aback.

                “You’re – you’re awake?” he said.

                “Why shouldn’t I?” his mother retorted. “Who was with you in the living-room?”

                “A friend,” Calum answered. His mother looked at him for about ten seconds and he held her gaze. Then, she nodded and turned around, wishing him a good night. Calum let out a deep breath and went to the bathroom then to his bedroom, where he undressed and slipped into his bed. When he checked his phone, he saw a message from Luke.

                _Thanks Calum, see you soon._

Calum smiled.

                _See you soon._

~

 

 

 

                Calum and Luke started dating during the following week. Calum had only told his closest friends about it. Not that he wasn’t happy; on the contrary: he liked Luke and wanted their relationship to be quiet. Indeed. He liked him a lot. For a few weeks, he thought this would only last for a while, despite Luke being nice. However, after March ended, something strange flowered in his heart and he began to feel deeper things for him.

                He learnt all about Luke’s personality, his likings and his life. Luke’s family was sweet. Luke hated maths but he loved reading. Luke was kind. He was quiet, funny, but sulky at some times. He had a thing for secrets. He liked to keep things for himself, but would choose to tell Calum at a precise moment. He would whisper in his ear about his feelings. Luke was really sensitive physically, and the lightest touch would make him shiver and close his eyes. He would doze off when they cuddled. Of course, he had plenty of flaws. He liked to make fun of people, he was cold when he was in a bad mood, he liked things to be done the right way (his way), and he could get angry over the smallest things. But Calum didn’t mind. He liked him.

                They once went to the cinema together during a weekend when Luke’s parents weren’t at home, and they’d planned for Calum to sleepover. It would have been a lie to pretend Calum hadn’t imagined what would happen. He’d slipped a condom into his bag, after all. And he’d been right to do it. When Luke closed the door, he kissed him. The boy took his hand and whispered a breathless ‘let’s go to my room’. Calum followed him. They were still exchanging quick kisses when Luke lied down on his bed. Calum got on top of him and took off his jacket.

                “I’m a virgin,” Luke said honestly.

                Calum blushed. “So am I,” he mumbled. It was a fact that he would sometimes get hard just by kissing Luke. And because of all the tension inside him, barely a minute after they started making out, he was. He undressed Luke a little too fast, he kissed him a little too heatedly, he did everything a little wrong. But it was fine. It could have been worse. He had trouble putting the condom on, but it didn’t crack. However, what he didn’t expect was that he had an orgasm mere minutes after he penetrated Luke. He’d been too excited, too nervous, and he’d felt too many things.

                Luke was taken aback too, and they ended up waiting awkwardly until Calum was hard again – which didn’t take long, fortunately. This was followed by very clumsy sex.

                They talked when they lied in bed afterwards. “Honestly…did you like that?” Calum asked.

                Luke answered after a minute. “I don’t know.”

                “Yeah. I don’t know either.”

                He’d been filled with so many unrealistic expectations about sex that the actual thing could only be mildly disappointing. Not that he wasn’t happy to have got intimate with Luke. That was amazing. But he would definitely be able to live without sex, he said to himself. Emotionally, it was a good experience, though. Calum replayed everything in his head and tried not to twist it, but in the end, he really didn’t know what to think about it.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

                Luke dropped the news onto him just a few days before the month of July. And it slashed Calum’s feelings as painfully as a blade.

                “I’m leaving Australia.”

                Calum stared at him for a good minute before speaking. “Where are you going?”

                “Los Angeles,” Luke said.

                “Oh…”

                “I’m packing at the moment. Look, I really wanted to tell you earlier, but…”

                “It’s fine,” Calum cut bitterly. “When are you leaving?”

                “In two weeks.”

Calum’s heart ached.

                “We should break up.”

And it shattered into a thousand pieces.

 

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

                In the end, Calum’s heart healed quickly. Summer brought him a soft consolation. He didn’t break off all relations with Luke. Although they weren’t together anymore, they kept in touch, chatting on facebook from time to time. Luke was studying literature in a prestigious university, while Calum started web designing and computing classes. It was true, he missed him. A lot. But he said to himself that high school relationships aren’t meant to last, and got over it. His studies were quite time-consuming. The first year passed rapidly. He still had dreams about Luke from time to time, but they weren’t painful. He knew Luke was happy in the United States.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i completely forgot to post yesterday so sorryyyyy  
> beware: weird chapter  
> but enjoy!

 

 

 

                Calum’s life took a new turn when he finished his studies, three years later. He got hired almost right away in a small web designing company, and started working. He’d rented a flat in Sydney, and was glad to get away from his parents. Work was something really new for him, really different from his previous life. He liked it, though. Living off his own money was a great change. Very pleasant. Sadly, the company went bankrupt six months later, and Calum had to find another job. But after searching day and night, he came to the conclusion this wasn’t a good solution.

                That was when he considered the possibility of moving out of Australia. Luke had, so why couldn’t he? It was a very important thing that the one who’d moved first was Luke. Calum had always tended to imitate the people he appreciated. Having thought about it for a few weeks, he consulted his parents. Since they approved his decision, they let him go. He filled papers and bought tickets without really knowing what he was doing. And in early May, he was ready to go. Even though it had made him feel worried, he managed to find a cheap flat in Los Angeles, with a kitchen, a bedroom and a very small bathroom. Of course, Los Angeles was the city he’d chosen. There still was a strong wish to meet Luke again in his heart, although he wasn’t aware of it.

                Calum settled in America quickly. He didn’t get used to American accents that well, but he was fine. Even though Los Angeles was just another big city, it felt really different from Sydney on a hundred things. Calum wanted to find a job, first of all, but he also needed to get used to living in the States. He lived off casual jobs for a while, then searched for graphics and computing companies. By chance, he found one that was run by a Australian man, which changed a lot of things. He applied for a web designer job, and got hired without any problems. Everything seemed unreal when, barely two months after arriving in Los Angeles, he was working. His flat was tiny, he missed his parents and Australia, but he was working. And above all, he’d never been that close to Luke in four years. Not that he’d spent those years chasing after him. But it just made him terribly happy.

                He waited until his financial situation was stable again to call Luke. He found his phone number in a telephone book, and it was easy, since there weren’t many people with the same name as him living in Los Angeles. He pressed the numbers in, and then the green button; he waited. Luke picked up after the fifth ‘beep’. And in that very moment, everything froze. It was when Calum realized how insane he had been and he was. What did he expect? Luke to be glad to see him again and not frightened at all by the fact that Calum had basically travelled across the globe partly for him? He was already lucky the boy still lived there, he couldn’t have got anything else. This was the real world, not a stupid romance novel. (Besides, Luke and he hated those.)

                Calum swallowed with difficulty. He was petrified. In his ear, he could hear a voice. Luke’s voice, saying “Hello? Hello?” in perfect American English. Several times, he tried to speak, but unsuccessfully. Since he kept silent, Luke cut. “I’m hanging up.”

                “No!” Calum shouted. At last, he’d found his voice again. “Don’t!”

                Silence followed his words. “Calum?” Luke asked softly, sounding like he was in disbelief.

                “I…yeah, it’s me,” Calum replied.

                “Where are you?” Luke asked. “Why are you calling me? How did you find my number?”

                “I’m in Los Angeles,” Calum said. “I’ve lived here for three months now.”

                “I see,” Luke said neutrally. His voice made Calum shiver. He’d, crazily, hoped for a wonderful telephone call in which Luke would’ve confessed his love for him had never faded, and there he was, with an indifferent boy on the other end of the line.

                “I want to see you again,” he said clumsily. “Just once, please. You can come to my place if you don’t want me to come to yours.”

                “Calum, it’s been four years,” Luke sighed. His voice was shaking a little. Or maybe was it Calum’s phone cracking.

                “Please,” Calum repeated.

                “Fine,” Luke replied after several seconds. “What’s your address?”

                When Calum hung up minutes later, he regretted everything immediately. He’d been silly, stupid, foolish. Now Luke was coming in an hour and he wasn’t ready for that. A part of him was amazingly happy Luke had spoken to him, whereas the other one wanted to commit suicide. He darkly tidied his flat, and waited, wringing his hands between his legs as he sat on an armchair. Luke was coming, Luke was coming, Luke was coming… Calum wondered whether he’d changed. What if he was still exactly the same? What if he wasn’t? What if Calum ended up disliking him now?

                The sound of the doorbell electrified his entire body and he jerked to his feet suddenly. Filled with anxiety and feeling like he could’ve been sick at any moment, he walked to the door. With faltering fingers, he struggled with the key for ten good seconds. And at last, he managed to turn it in the lock. Calum pulled the door open, and he found himself facing Luke indeed. Oh yes, it was Luke, there was no doubt about it. Or rather what Luke had become.

                His hair was no longer golden. It was dark as a raven’s feathers. His skin seemed to be made of pure snow. The same blue eyes as four years before were gazing at Calum and Calum’s heart stopped beating. On Luke’s left forearm, there was a wide tattoo, cherry blossom, that had flowered right on him. And piercings all over his face: ears, eyebrows, nose, lip. The angel-like, blonde-haired high school boy was gone. He had vanished completely. And instead, Calum was standing in front of some ridiculously fascinating black and white young man, with only a hint of red on his lips. They were a delicate rose. Luke was no longer smaller than him. But he’d become a little thinner, and his body was wrapped in leather clothes.

                Calum stared at him for an eternity. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Luke was the complete opposite of what he’d been four years before. He even seemed to have changed mentally. Calum was suddenly recalling everything they’d done together, from the funny dates to the awkward sex night or the quiet cuddling sessions. So many different feelings were bursting in his head like colourful fireworks that he could neither move, nor speak. But he knew one thing. He’d never stopped loving Luke.

                His brain seemed to start working again at last and he took a step backwards as a weird gurgling sound slipped through his lips. Luke walked in slowly. “Hello,” he said quietly, in his old accent.

                “Luke…” Calum said desperately.

                “I know,” Luke replied, looking down. “You’ve changed, too. Maybe not as much as me, but you have.” They fell silent. Calum couldn’t take his eyes off Luke’s tattoo and piercings. They were like magnets. “So, you live here?” Luke went on. “It’s nice,” he nodded. “Really nice. Very, very…nice.”

                “Yeah, I know. It’s – nice, and all,” Calum hurried to say. He wanted to sit down and cry. Luke’s eyes were caressing him with a cold gentleness, but he couldn’t read into him and didn’t know whether it was sadness or joy glowing through his blue irises. “Do you want any coffee?” he offered in the end, laboriously.

                “Yes, thank you. I’d love some,” Luke answered politely. Calum cracked a grin that shattered mere seconds later, and he hurried to the coffee machine, then pretended to be truly engrossed in the brown liquid being poured, hot as fire, into the cups. He brought said cups to the table, where they both sat down. It was a small, wooden table; four people could fit around it. Calum stared at his hot beverage. He offered Luke sugar, but the boy declined. Five long, awfully long, _long_ minutes of heavy and embarrassing silence followed. Calum’s heart was thumping. Luke was beautiful, very beautiful. Even more than four years before.

                When he started sipping at his coffee, Calum watched him, his lips on the white cup. Luke started slightly when he touched the hot liquid, but he still drank. Calum waited for him to put the thing down. Luke looked up, and their eyes met. And Calum forgot all the barriers blocking the words from coming out. “I missed you,” he said abruptly. His voice spilt out of his mouth uncontrollably like water through cupped hands. He wished he hadn’t spoken, instantly. Luke was looking at him with a mixture of surprise and melancholy. But contrary to Calum’s expectations, he replied.

                He looked down and his fingers clenched the coffee cup tighter. “I missed you too,” he said in hushed tones. Calum’s breath was taken away. He froze, and stared at Luke. Luke had missed him… Luke had missed him… On the table, Calum’s fingers were shaking. Until Luke took his hands and squeezed them softly. Calum gasped. Luke’s eyes were still downcast, and he was biting his lip timidly. In Calum’s mind, way too many emotions were fighting to decide which one would win. And between astonishment, hope and affection, it was tough. Luke’s white fingers were fresh, almost cold, but very gentle. His thumbs were stroking the back of Calum’s hands repeatedly.

                Slowly, Calum’s eyes went from the boy’s thin wrists to his tattooed forearm, his upper arms covered by a shirt, his shoulders, his pale neck, and at last, his face. Once again, he found him gorgeous. “Calum,” the boy said. He nibbled at his lower lip. All of a sudden, a fire of bravery lit up inside Calum and he spoke clearly.

                “Can I take pictures of you?” he asked. “You look so beautiful.”

                Luke remained silent, but a thin smile formed on his lips. “Pictures? If you want to,” he answered. Calum regretfully took his hands back, but he got up and fetched what he was looking for, in a drawer. It was a Polaroid camera, the kind of camera that prints images within seconds. Hesitantly, Calum walked back to Luke. “Uh, I thought you’d look great on the bed. The sheets are white,” he explained clumsily. Luke agreed silently. When they reached Calum’s bed, he sat down with a slight awkwardness. “You can tell me what you’ve been up to lately while I shoot you,” Calum said. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

                While Luke fidgeted a bit to sit more at the centre of the mattress, Calum looked at the floor. He’d always liked taking pictures – as a hobby, of course – and he was sure the Polaroid would capture Luke’s essence perfectly. The boy coughed and combed his hair back into place. At least, that habit hadn’t changed, Calum thought. He took a picture and Luke blinked in surprise. “I didn’t think you would actually do it right now,” he said, chuckling. Calum grabbed the photo as it was printed out. It was pretty.

                Luke cleared his throat. “So...I studied literature for four years. That’s pretty much it. I finished university a month ago. And I don’t know what to do now,” he said low. He wrapped his arms around his folded legs and hugged his knees close to his chest. Calum took another picture. The printed thing fell on the bed next to Luke but he didn’t grab it, too fascinated by him. “I have my own flat, because my parents send me money. But no job.” He shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to wait. I’d like to be a journalist or a teacher, but that’s hard these days.

                “I understand,” Calum said. Luke smiled. Carefully, Calum climbed onto the bed and kneeled next to him to take another picture. “You could lie down,” he suggested. Luke complied. His hair met mattress like black feathers and Calum pressed the button on the Polaroid camera once more. “But how were your studies? What did you learn? I didn’t learn anything life-changing in web designing, that is,” he said.

                Luke giggled and Calum took another picture. “I learnt amazing things. I loved every second of it. All my teachers were wonderful people… They made me want to spend my life doing that, you know?” the boy said. Progressively, a smile appeared on his lips as he surely recalled things or events of the past four years. “I studied several languages, too. They’re all magical. I wanted to learn everything, to discover everything and I loved that. Art classes were amazing as well. Very interesting, captivating,” he added. He shifted to allow Calum to capture him from a different angle.

                Calum couldn’t believe they were doing this out of everything after four years. It felt very intimate, almost as if Luke were naked before him. But it was the case, somehow. His very words were undressing him. And in Calum’s head, all was clear. He lowered his camera for a moment and looked down at Luke, who looked up at him. “Could you take off your shirt?”

                “Oh… I…” Luke said.

                “Wait – sorry, forget it,” Calum said, shaking his head. “That was stupid of me.”

                “No, it’s fine,” Luke murmured. One by one, he unbuttoned al the buttons of his shirt and put it aside. His full arms and his torso were revealed, and Calum’s eyes caressed all his skin. Luke had four piercings on his lower stomach: two on each hipbone. And between them, even if it wasn’t entirely visible, because of his jeans, a circular tattoo was traced. Calum took a picture of it. Luke looked away. Sunlight was glowing through the window, lighting the room softly.

                “Why did you get these piercings?” Calum asked.

                “These ones?” Luke said, placing his hand over his hipbone. “No particular reason. I was just fascinated by metal. The one on my nose was the first one I got. Then, my lip,” he smiled. “I think I did my eyebrow before the hips but I’m not sure. You know, a lot of people from my school had piercings,” he added. “I started getting some in my second year.”

                “Did something happen during that year?”

                “Kind of,” Luke nodded. Calum took a picture discreetly. A minute lasped. “My studies became a lot harder and heavier from that year. One of my friends had serious familial issues and she had to see a therapist. Lots of anxiety. And during that year, there was the cutting,” the boy mumbled quietly. Calum’s heart ached and he swallowed difficultly. “Not for long. But it was rather scary,” Luke said. With his right hand, he fondled his left upper arm. Calum got a little closer and he spotted numerous thin, thin, thin white and pink scars, like coloured pencil strokes on a sheet of paper which was supposed to remain blank.

                Timidly, he touched Luke’s arm with his fingertips. The boy blinked but he didn’t pull away. “You stopped, right?” Calum asked.

                “I did,” Luke answered. Calum’s hand travelled down towards his forearm. “They’re gorgeous,” he said, brushing the black and white flowers.

                “Aren’t they?” Luke said softly. Calum pressed the camera button. “I got other ones on my leg. Wait,” Luke went on. Modestly, he slipped out of his pants under Calum’s eyes. His right calf was also inked beautifully with cherry blossom. “I got them during my third year. I love them a lot.”

                “I love them too,” Calum said. Luke smiled again, but without looking up. “Could you lie on your stomach?” As the boy did as he was told, Calum changed his own position on the bed. He took several pictures of Luke lying with his chin in his hands, of his head on the pillow, his closed eyes, or his feet dancing in the air. All of them were perfect. Luke lied on his back again after a while, with Calum kneeled at his feet. Calum’s camera captured every inch of his skin, all the gentle grain of it. It was all white and soft. He was looking at Calum with an unreadable expression. And Calum was under his spell…

                It was only when he realized they’d been gazing at each other for several minutes without talking or taking any pictures that Calum noticed something was happening. Luke’s eyes were too deep, too wide. He was stuck in wonder. Slowly, he lowered his camera, to finally put it down, without breaking off eye-contact even once. Since Luke had shifted previously, Calum was seated between his legs. Without saying a word, Calum put his arms on each side of him, and leaned on top of his body. They were suddenly so close… Calum’s heart seemed to be on the verge of exploding.

                They stayed like this for several minutes. Until Calum leaned a few inches lower and their lips met gently. It was a chaste, sweet kiss, just their mouths brushing, but Calum closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he’d kissed Luke. They’d met for the first time in four years, and there he was, taking pictures of him and kissing him on his bed. He thought the boy would push him away, but he did none of that. And instead, he even wrapped his arms around Calum’s neck to pull him closer. Calum decided to go further, and while stroking Luke’s cheek with his thumb, he licked his lips to ask for entrance. Luke opened his mouth for him. It felt wonderful. Luke was soft and fresh, he tasted sweet. The two metal ornaments below his lower lip were sometimes teasing Calum’s chin. Soon, he parted his legs to straddle Luke and get into a more comfortable position. Luke didn’t protest. He even ran his hands through Calum’s hair then along his neck and over his shoulders.

                It was when their kiss deepened even more that Calum’s lower stomach started to feel warm, and he felt the first hints of sexual desire for Luke. Instinctively, both of them were rolling their hips together, and he couldn’t deny it felt amazing. Luke moaned softly. His right foot rubbed Calum’s leg repeatedly. Calum had missed his touch so much that he just couldn’t get enough of him yet. He kissed Luke’s jawline then his neck, where he sucked a little, gently, until a faint red mark appeared. The friction against his crotch was making him harden. A while later, after he’d kept grinding on Luke, he had an erection. Luke as well and a wet spot had appeared on his underwear, showing his arousal.

                Calum sat up and looked at him, panting. Then he took off his shirt. He wanted him. He was unbuckling his pants, when Luke grabbed his arm. “Wait. Do you have a condom?” he asked breathlessly.

                Calum blinked. “Yeah.” He got up, and opened the drawer of the bedside table. There, he found a condom, he opened it, and put it on after taking off his boxers. After that, he went back to his bed and got on top of Luke once again. Luke touched his chest with his hands. He looked unreadable. Calum briefly wondered if he actually wanted to do it, but when the boy cupped his face to kiss him deeply, he forgot about all his doubts. He kissed Luke back, and lost himself in his sweet lips. “It’s nice to hear something else than American English, by the way,” he said afterwards. Luke frowned. “I don’t really have Australian friends here,” Calum explained. He bent down to take Luke’s lips again.

                Meanwhile, Luke’s hand slid down along his back, touching all Calum’s vertebras, then his butt, and Calum groaned. “I understand. It was like that at the beginning for me, too,” Luke replied. “But now I have a few. You should meet them.”

                “Are we getting back together?” Calum asked, opening his eyes wide.

                “I never said that,” Luke whispered, looking down. Calum didn’t reply, but he kept hoping. Luke was rocking his hips again, and Calum imitated him while he placed kisses on his lips. He almost couldn’t believe he was going to do it with Luke after four years. Suddenly, he felt scared. What if it ended up as awkward as the last time? No, that couldn’t be. They were both adults now, they were technically more ready. Of course, he hadn’t slept with people everyday since that time, but a couple… It had taught him things. And he wasn’t a virgin like back in high school. Luke neither. Reassuring himself with these thoughts, Calum kissed him once more.

                He gently pushed Luke’s knees apart and fondled his inner thigh. It was very warm. Luke folded his legs, which gave Calum access to his crotch. And gently, while he kissed his cheek, Calum pushed his index into him. He had the feeling he was suddenly sucked into a tight and warm place. Luke let out a low moan and he tensed up slightly. But when Calum added his middle finger and began to scissor him, he closed his eyes in pleasure. His white fingers clenched Calum’s shoulders possessively and he pulled him down for a kiss. “How can I touch it?” Calum asked. Luke gave him instructions and he waited nervously until Calum’s fingers reached it at last. A moan louder than the others left his lips and he blushed. “It’s fine. Let it out,” Calum said softly.

                He kept fingering Luke for several minutes, until Luke pulled away from their kiss and looked at him very seriously. He brushed the tip of their noses together playfully before speaking. Calum listened. “Look, I don’t want it to hurt. Could you use lube?”

                “Sure,” Calum nodded. He stretched out his arm to reach into the same drawer as before, and he took a small blue plastic bottle. After pouring a fair amount of the cold liquid into his palm, he smeared it on his erection.

                Luke smiled. “Thank you.” Calum kissed him again. He was back to grinding again him, and their members were touching and it felt amazing. Calum swallowed as he pushed Luke’s legs apart again. He gazed at him for a long time before he slowly entered him. Luke bit his lip but let out a pleased groan. “Oh…yes…” Luke felt even tighter than before around Calum. The boy kissed him repeatedly, for split seconds. “Oh, Calum… Calum, I missed you…”

                “I missed you too,” Calum replied shakily.

                “Move, please,” Luke said. Calum exhaled deeply and he waited for a few more seconds before he began to roll his hips to thrust inside Luke. Instantly, Luke had little cries. Calum knew it probably didn’t hurt a lot, because he had prepared him correctly, but maybe it still did, a little. “Don’t go too fast. Make it last long,” the boy said breathlessly. Calum nodded. He couldn’t stop gazing at Luke’s face, at the strange but beautiful metal ornaments on his skin. He’d changed so much it was almost unbelievable. His flowered arm and the other one were wrapped around Calum’s torso.

                “Do you feel good?” Calum asked with concern.

                “Yeah. Yeah, I do. Thanks,” Luke answered. “I feel good.” Calum was happy he did. Everything was completely different from the last time they’d slept together. Both of them were more experienced, and it felt much better. Pleasure was pulsing through Calum’s veins and all he could think about was Luke. He knew it. He knew he loved him. But what about Luke’s feelings? This was the small part of worry present in Calum’s head. Other emotions and sensations were mixing deliciously there. He was moving in and out of Luke regularly, at a moderate pace. Luke’s entrance was squeezing him just perfectly. He was breathing fast. In a whisper, Luke asked him to touch him and Calum did, wrapping his fingers around the boy’s erection to stroke it. “Yes, just like that.”

                Calum felt wonderful. He’d missed Luke a lot and now that he’d met him again, he could have him just like in his dreams. Excitement was melting into pleasure as well as happiness. Luke was beautiful under him with sunbeams kissing his skin in sparkling glints. His decorated body was glowing. The more Calum thrust inside him, the more pleasure built. Luke was moving repeatedly too. He had his hands on Calum’s biceps and his legs were wrapped around him. “Are you close?” Calum breathed.

                “Yes,” Luke replied in a whisper. “Yes. Give me more, please. Harder.” Calum did as the boy told him, and he sped up his moves to slam inside him deeper. “Oh God,” Luke cried out, throwing his head backwards into the pillow. “Oh yes.” Suddenly he cupped Calum’s face and kissed his lips several times. He was clenching around him, which made it a bit more difficult to move, but it felt amazing too. Calum’s orgasm built slowly. He could feel that knot in his stomach, soon, and he knew he was coming.

                “Luke… Luke…”

                He came first, very suddenly. His only regret was that he didn’t get to come into Luke. It was a long climax, longer and better than any of the ones he’d had in the past four years. His hips stuttered against Luke’s as he let out a loud moan. Luke’s lips quickly took his own. Calum’s heart was thumping and he swore he could only hear that. He waited until he recovered his senses, and he went back to touching Luke. It didn’t take long for the boy to come all white into his hands, crying out his name. Calum kissed him deeply and ran his fingers through his black hair.

                “I love you, Luke… Luke, I’m in love with you, I love you, I love you so much…” he repeated.

                Tears were gathering and twinkling in Luke’s eyes. “I love you too. I loved you four years ago, I still do,” the boy stammered. “Shit, Calum…”

                Calum rolled him over to take him in his arms and hold him tight, tight. Luke hugged him back. It felt warm, and wonderful. “Stay with me. You’ll stay with me? Say you’ll stay with me.”

                “I will. I just… The condom. Take off the condom,” Luke said.

                “Right,” Calum nodded. He pulled out of Luke a bit sadly, and got up. Once he’d thrown the thing into the trash bin, he came back and got into bed with Luke, embracing him again. “You’re great,” he whispered. Luke rested his head against the young man’s chest. He closed his eyes. Calum’s chest rose and lowered as he breathed. Luke’s hand on his upper arm was giving him soft caresses. His palm, following the relief of his biceps, was warmer than before making love. “Did you like it?”

                “I did. Thanks,” Luke smiled mischievously.

                Calum kissed him. “It’s been so long…”

                “Yeah,” Luke replied.

                “Listen…” Calum began. “I just want to know whether you had other relationships in the past years,” he said.

                Luke didn’t reply right away. “Gonna tell the truth, okay? Yeah, I did. I dated three guys,” he said low.

                Calum didn’t feel hurt, strangely. “Tell me about them.” There was curiosity inside him, he wanted to know who Luke had chosen and why.

                “The first one was Scott. To be honest… He was a lot like you. Not physically, of course. But he had that nice personality, and he liked me. We broke up when he found someone else that he liked more, that’s all. Then there was Jake. I met him in my English class, in 2nd year. He was tall, funny, a bit clumsy. But I guess we weren’t a perfect match. He was too happy and I was too sad, maybe. I don’t know.” Luke laughed discreetly. “In third year, I met Thomas. We stayed together for much longer. Very intelligent, he was very intelligent. I think I fell in love, briefly.” His voice broke and he smiled. “He’s gone.” Calum kissed off his tears. “I’m glad you’re here,” Luke said low. “I’m so glad.”

                Calum was happy they had no secrets anymore. “I’m glad, too.”

                “You know… I loved him, but it wasn’t the same as with you.”

                “What do you mean?” Calum asked.

                “I’ve always loved you, since we met. Even when you had the flu and you looked dead on the inside. Even when you couldn’t put the condom on right. Even when you talked in your sleep… I was just cold earlier on the phone because seeing you again brought back so many memories to me. I was overwhelmed. But I’ve always loved you…” Luke’s words evaporated and he buried his face in the crook of Calum’s neck.

                “You…have?” Calum said slowly. “Oh, Luke…”

                “I’m sorry,” Luke giggled tearfully.

                “There’s no reason to be sorry,” Calum said. “I love you…”

                “You’ve changed a lot too, you know,” Luke murmured.

                “Have I?”

                “Yeah. You’re even more amazing than four years ago.”

                “So are you,” Calum breathed, pressing a kiss on Luke’s forehead.

                Luke closed his eyes and he hugged him tight. “Let’s stay together.”

 

 

 

                They made love twice more before the sun set.

                And each time was even better than the last.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

                Luke slept at Calum’s that night. The young man lent him clothes. They squeezed into the same bed, and when Calum opened his eyes in the morning, he experienced that wonderful feeling of waking up to his lover’s face. Luke went back home in the early morning, promising Calum they’d see each other soon after. They starting having a really tender relationship, and it made Calum’s life infinitely better. Luke was without a doubt the best thing he’sd ever had.

                Someone above seemed to have decided to be good to him, because two months later, he got promoted and his salary got much bigger. That was when they considered renting a flat together. Luke’s current flat was just as small as Calum’s, but together, they could manage to find something. They started searching, and viewed a few flats, but they were all too expensive. Until they found one in a busy area of the city, that was perfect. It was the one.

                The landlady was an old woman, maybe seventy-five years old. One of her tenants had left just a week before, and she greeted Luke and Calum happily. “Hello! I’m Mrs Anderson, nice to meet you.” She was kind. The flat was divided into three rooms: a large saloon/kitchen/dining-room, a bedroom and a bathroom. The windows were wide. There was quite a lot of space. And above all, it wasn’t expensive. Within ten minutes, they were signing the papers. Calum was happy, it meant a lot, they would be living together. They would share the rent. They exchanged a look and smiled. Mrs Anderson tittered. “Are you two a couple? You look lovely,” she said with a smile she was trying to suppress.

                Calum laughed. “Yes, we are.”

                “Such a pretty person,” the old lady went on, looking at Luke. He went brick red.

                Two days later, both of them were moving into their new flat. It was truly pleasant. Months passed, and Luke and Calum only grew closer and closer. Their relationship was stable and regular, both from a sexual and an emotional point of view. But Luke asked something one day, that made things move. “Calum,” he said as they were lying in bed, “I want to have sex without a condom.” He looked at Calum. “Is that possible?”

                Calum licked his lips and looked at the ceiling. “I don’t know. If you want that, maybe we should get tested,” he said.

                “Right.”

                Calum felt like he was going to be sick when he opened the door of the screening centre. Luke and he had an appointment that day. It went strangely. He was usually the one who did the talking, but in front of a doctor and about such things, he just couldn’t. Which is why Luke said next to everything.

                “So, we have been having a stable relationship for three months now, we’re having safe sex, but we would like to be able to do it without using a condom. Would it be possible?” he asked the doctor. There was no awkwardness in his voice. It was impressive.

                “Of course,” the doctor said. “Did you have your first sexual intercourse together?”

                “Yeah, we…we did, but both of us had sex with other people before we got back together a few months ago,” Luke explained.

                “I understand. You’ll have to get tested, provided neither of you had sexual intercourse with anyone else in the past three months. Is that fine?”

                “It is, abolutely,” Luke smiled. Calum nodded. During the next hour, the two of them had a blood test. After last-minute advice from the doctor, they could leave. The results were sent to them at the end of the week. They received two sheets of paper on which all was typed. And Calum felt nothing but relief when he saw neither Luke nor him had any Sexually Transmitted Infections. “We’re clear,” Luke beamed. He wrapped his arms around Calum’s neck and kissed him. “You know what that means?” the boy asked. Calum smiled. “Seriously, I’m glad,” Luke said.

                “So am I,” Calum replied.

                “But you remember what the doctor said? _“This only works as long as you’re faithful.”_ Okay?”

                “I’d never cheat on you.”

                “I know,” Luke giggled. He took Calum’s lips again. When he parted to look at him, his smile washed every bit of reason left in the young man’s brain. Oh, he loved him so much… And Luke whispered in his ear, _“Let’s go to the bedroom.”_

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'll probably post the thing with calum as luke's brother's best friend soon so keep checking the calum hood/luke hemings relationship tag if you wanna check it out lmao  
> bye bye <3

**Author's Note:**

> ok please forgive me this chapter sucks lmfao  
> hope you liked it though


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